Choosing the Path Part 1
by FrecklesForevermore
Summary: The prequel to the story so far, the origins of the book, the labyrinth and of Sarah and Jareth. Who they are and how they came to be and I don't want to give away too much! The first few chapters don't involve Sarah or Jareth but are part of the story! Part 2 is going to be about after the movie and the like
1. Chapter 1

Part 1

Chapter 1

She could hear the music and the mirth through the dense mists as she approached the edge of the wood. The sounds of a lyre and a flute like voice were heard above the low din of chatter and laughing. How she wanted to be among them, laughing and smiling and making merry for the holiday of Samhain. She was invited to the celebration by her good friend, Etain. Etain was a Fae lord in the Seelie Court, whom she had known since she was a wee child.

As a child, she and Etain often played seeking games. In such games they discovered together that she was a Natural Witch. A Natural Witch was a mortal born with the ability to manipulate elements in nature. She could call upon the weather and gather mists and winds, and make them dissipate by channeling the energies of the Earth. She also learned how to cast spells and to concoct charms by binding the unique elements and qualities of objects together to produce a new object or rearrange its original pourpose.

She was also gifted with foresight. It was something she did not like to channel. She learned that knowing the future came with consequences that were not often well received. She did not like to share her visions, not even to Etain.

Despite the fact that she was a Witch, she was mortal, and Etain never seemed to age. Once when she was young woman she would have given anything to gain immortality and be by Etain's side. She had grown to love the Fae and their carefree spirit and she wanted to be around them always. She searched for means to gain immortality, or to even slow mortality down. By the time she found the means she had since observed that immortality was not always as glamorous as the Fae seemed it to be. The Fae could be selfish and petty and often were bored with their everlasting time. They often caused mischief and even out right wars just for the sake of bordom. She was eventually disillusioned with the idea and embraced her mortality. She now allowed herself to age. Her once vibrant copper hair was now streaked with silver and white and set lines creased her brow and the corners of her hazel eyes. Although she was aging, she still had a firey spirit, and she enjoyed a good celebration.

As she traversed through the wood the sound of merry music and laughter grew louder with each step. Finally she stepped into a clearing and felt the moisture of the mists ebb from the air. The scene that greeted her was vibrant and buzzing with excitement. A beautiful Fae woman with silvery long blond hair was plucking a lyre as she sang with her flute like voice in the center of clearing. Long tables flanked the sides of the clearing, boxing it in leaving space in the center for entertainment and dancing. The many magical creatures of the different races were all gathered together in their finery. The human like Faery and Elves were in gowns and robes of velvet and silks. The dwarves, their stunted cousins, were adorned in their embellished leather and precious metals. Trolls, goblins, gnomes, and other woodland Fae were garbed in fur or flora and fauna. Sprites, pixies, and fairies flitted and danced in the air as brownies and leprechuns, scurried here and there. The tables were littered with patters of food and casks of spirits, wine and ale. There were some creatures that even she could not identify completely. 'Hmm it seems everyone was invited!', she observed. The Witch made her way among the den of merrymakers towards the center of the head table. The head table was reserved for head lords and ladies of the Seelie and the Unseelic courts. She spied who she was looking for. Etain was conversing with another Fae, near the center of the head table. He caught a glimpse of the familiar mortal out of the corner of his eye. Etain stopped in mid conversation and exclaimed with a loud cheerful voice, so as to draw attention, "Ah Sofia! My friend, I am pleased you have arrived!" The Faery man stood from his stationed seat. He wore burgundy colored velvet robes and upon his dark hair was placed a golden laurel. Like most Faery he was beautiful with everlasting youth and had a countenance that seemed to radiate from the inside out. The strong aroma of wine permeated the air as he spoke. Etain turned to his previous conversation partner to introduce Sofia to an Elvin man. He had straight golden hair and the points of his ears were noticibly visible among the golden strands. "Galan, may I introduce to you Sofia, she is a Witch and has sworn fealty to my family, and has been most of her life. Sofia this is Galan he is high lord of the Unseelie court in the region." Sofia gave a thin smile and bowed her head in greeting, "Pleasure to meet you My Lord." Galan gave the woman a scrutinized look. He didn't care for humans. He didn't like the idea of dependency on a race, and a race that was very flawed at that. He knew that the Fae needed humans and their belief in Magic. Humans came from the very Earth and were linked to it's energies and could purify and release the esscence that the Fae gleaned and used to fuel their own Magic. The Fae were an ancient breed of being that was said to be made from the heavens. The Fae and human relationship is one that is symbiotic in nature, much like the one between ants and athids. Galan and many Fae disliked this necessity, they knew human minds were easily manipulated and could easily be swayed. Such Fae were known as the Unseelie Court. The Seelie court embraced the symbiotic nature of the Fae and humans and embraced and accepted the natural order of things.

Galan did not return the curtousy of the greeting. Sofia waited for the return greeting and caught his disdainful eye. Imediately she recognized his predujice nature. "I see you have invited a pet, and a pet that can do tricks!" Galan monotously toned towards Etain. 'A pet?! How dare he?' Sofia fumed to herself. She glanced to Etain to see if he was going to rebuttle the comment to the Elvin man. "Now now, Galan. Lets not our differences sully our celebration. It is Samhain after all!" Sofia was not pleased at the lack of defense to the insult by her oathman! Although she pledge lifelong fealty to his family he could be careless to her feelings and ideals. "What's a Samhain celebration with a little divination? Let's see what the seer sees!", Etain grinned towards Sofia. She all so well knew the true nature behind the grin. She realized she was not invited to join in the festivities but to offer entertainment to the Fae. Her temper began to smoulder.

"Ah, a pet that can forecast the future, how stimulating." Galan drawled. Sofia flashed her angry eyes towards the Elf. Again Etain did not correct Galan on his tone towards Sofia. She began to feel her emotions running high. The hurt began to fuel her anger at Etain's carelessness. The Fae man raised his hands and spoke aloud in a voice for all to hear, "My brothers and sisters...". All mirthful rucous ceased as the music did. All eyes turned towards the center towards the mortal woman in the dark cloak and Etain. " I have procured a soothsayer to forsee the tidings of the year yet to come!"

Murmmering and whispering was heard all around the space. Sofia could feel all eyes upon her. She disliked being made the center of attention without her concent.

"Time to perform pet!" She heard Galan hiss under his breath. She shot him with a look of loathing that mirrored what she felt inside for the Elf. Galan cracked a thin smile at the visible irritation to the woman. She was not only irritated but was also leary about sharing the information she knew. If she revealed it, it would not be well received. "My Lord Etain, I implore that you have me not speak of things yet to be." she directed towards Etain. "Sofia, are you not my oathwoman? Come now Samhain is only for a day, let's have it!" Etain hastily coherced the woman. Murmmers of agreeance were heard among the crowd that could hear the exchange between the mortal and the Fae. This only fueled Sofia's temper further. 'By the Gods if they want to know the future, then so be it!', she told herself. "Very well My Lord."

The sounds of the Fae were hushed as the mortal woman reached for something around her neck. It was an elongated crystal, about the length of a finger.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the energies around her. She brought crystal to her forehead and began to murmmer to herself a repetative chant. She needed to clear her mind and focus so she could open her third eye. The third eye was a portion of her mind that connected most with the elements. This connection allowed her to cast divination.

She began to see flashes of images. Etain whispered to Sofia, "What do you see?"

"I see mortals traveling along a road. At the head of the road there is a person of great countenance. He shines brightly and they follow. There are Fae standing on the road side, beconing to the humans. The humans do not heed them. The\ Fae look weak and frail. Only the children see them and stop, but their parents usher them along. A mist begins to rise between the road and the children no longer can see the Fae and continue down the road. The Fae begin to wan in number..."

"Enough!" A voice boomed. Sofia broke her connections. She thought that the interruption was from Galan, but was indeed from Etain. The look upon his face was flushed with anger and embarassment.

"How dare you make such false predictions!" Etain spat.

"My predictions are not false, My Lord" Sofia flared back at the man.

Etain glared at her, " And here I thought you as my oathwoman whom I have invited to festivities and you insult the courts with spiteful lies!"

"Aye, I am spiteful, because you invited me here and expect me to perform as if I were your chattle. I am your oathwoman, I made an oath to you and your family of my own volution, which now I am beginning to regret!" she fumed.

Etain could not believe the open disrespect he had just heard from the Witch and out in front of both of the Courts. His temper was increasing with his embarrassment. How could she say such a thing to him? "Then I release you of your fealty. Besides what could a useless human do to aid in my campaigns? Your life is so short and your bodies so fragile, like an annoying gnat! You envy the Fae and are jealous of their strength and their long lives Thank the Gods that my bloodlines are pure Fae and are not marred and deluted with your kind!" Gasps and chuckles could be heard among the crowd watching the scene. Sofia felt the sting of betrayal. She never knew Etain really felt that way about her. He was always cordial and nice, although at times he seemed bored with her, she thought that was the way Fae were. Now she understood that she was just merely a pet to him, a plaything that now is not shiny anymore. The pain fueled her anger further. She raised her hand pointing to the Faery man.

"A gnat, am I? Well let's see how annoying I can really be! I curse you and your bloodline. Your pure Fae blood will be 'marred and deluted' with human blood, and become weak and contaminated!"

Etain balled his fists in anger and yelled, "Get out! You are no longer welcome here nor anywhere near any Fae! I will make sure of it! Guards! Bind her!" The crowd began to part as Fae guardsmen began to enter the center of the clearing. Thinking quickly and for her own safety, Sofia grabbed for a bag of salt that was tied on her belt. Trying not to touch it herself she poured a ring around herself. The guardsmen halted before the ring. They dared not touch the white substance. It gave Sofia time to grab onto her crystal amulet and recite an incantation. She began to feel the wind stir and twirl about her. The wind crescended with great speed around her figure and began to lift her up away from the ground. She lifted higher and higher into the evening sky leaving the clearing and the gawking Fae behind.


	2. Chapter 2

Choosing The Path Part I Chapter 2

Sofia felt the cyclone winds swirling across her form as it carried her away from the clearing. She did not break her chant and still held onto the crystal in her hands. She knew if she did, then she could plummet to her death. She focused her mind to her destination. In her mind's eye she could see the ground below her moving quickly. Tree tops whirled underneath and eventually gave way to open water. She heard the ocean waves break and knew she was close to her home. She resided on a small penensula that faced west towards the setting sun. She grew up there. She remembered as a child, running bare foot along the crags of the cliffs to the sparse pockets of rocky shore where seals basked in the afternoon sun. She would forage for puffin eggs and feathers as she would scale up and down the rocky faces. She loved the smell of the sea mist as the waves crashed on the rocks. It was home.

She directed herself and the cycloned wind to land her behind a thatched roof cottage. She skillfully landed on her feet, but the exertion of the channeling drained her. She panted and knew she couldn't stand there for long. She was sure Etain's guardsmen were soon to follow her. She gathered what was left of her strength and hurried into the thicket that was behind the cottage. There she approached an ancient thick trunked oak tree. Its gnarled branches spoke of many sea storm winds twisting it here and there. She placed her palm on the trunk and muttered something and the trunk gave way to a door. She stepped through into what could be described as her lair. It was dimly lit by the embers of a fireplace in the center of the room. Shelves along the walls were littered and adorned with bowls, baskets, urns of questionable contents. Bundles of dried herbs hung from the ceiling to dry. Sofia reached up and grabbed a bundle of the drying herbs and began to stoak the fire to make herself some tea to help regain her strength and focus.

She quickly began to cast wards up to detain and protect her lair. She knew that it could not stop them but it could buy her some time. The Fae's use of Magic was pure as to where hers could only manipulated the knew that they could get past her wards but they could slow them down some.

The tea she made refreshed her and gave her focus she needed for the tasks she was about to do. She remembered the disdainful look on Etain's beautiful face. She knew the wine lowered his inhabitions but did it truly revealed his deep seeded feelings towards humans? How could he call himself a member of the Seelie court then? She shed a tear, just one, down her cheek. It was hard to believe he felt like that? She even loved him once! A part of her still did! The hurt welled up and sparked her anger to reunite again. 'He will pay for trifling with my loyaltly, she thought to herself. All the years of fealty, loyalty and bidding were dashed away in one evening. Had she done something to encourage these feelings against her kind? Had she not for years been by his side and been a friend and a bending ear? What had happened? She was so confused, he never had before used unkind words to her! Annoying gnat? Impure? Something was not right with this whole situation. Perhaps he had consummed too much wine and was not in control of his faculties. She should confront him again at a later date, when emotions are calm and rational thought has returned. Today was not that day! In her own anger she knew she shouldn't have acted so hastily as to curse him. Perhaps he or his men won't come? Maybe he knows she was acting out against him in anger? No, she told herself, he was acting different, the look on his face was genuine. He meant what he said!

She felt a shift in one of her wards. She knew that they were on the peninsula, and would be here soon. She quickly breathed air into the flames of the fire and began to assemble materials to make the charm needed for the curse. Then to gather what she needed for the spell to extend her life and to apparate to a safe location. She spread a ring of iron shavings onto the floor all around the hearth. Fae, except for gnomes and dwarves could not touch iron. It was a defense she knew she needed in order to get away.

The wards she had cast were now being torn down one after another. She began to work quickly on the charm within the iron circle. The sound of splintering wood reverberated the room. Wind rushed in from the sea bringing it's briney smell. Etain stepped into the room followed by four of his guardsmen and Galan. Galan didn't want to miss the show and was smiling with twisted amusement. Sofia narrowed her eyes at his smiling visage and wished that she could do something to wipe that smile off his face!

Etain marched up to the fire with his guardsmen in tow. He quickly jumped back as if he were burned!

"Oh you crafty little witch! An iron ring! So do you think that is going to keep me from you? You're going to pay for your lies and insolence!"

Sofia stepped up to the edge of the ring and stuck out her chin as she faced the once familiar Fae man.

"You're the one who has betrayed me! All the years that I…"

"Yes, yes! I know! I heard you before, don't annoy me with it further."

'He cut me off!', she thought to herself.

"You selfish lout!" She said and reached across the line of the iron ring and grabbed hold of Etain's hand. She pulled with all her strength against his but knew the proximity of the iron weakened him and gave her an advantage.

She produced an iron knife with a bone handle in her other hand and sliced his skin. Etain cried out as the iron seared and cut his skin. The motion was quick and Etain was caught off guard at how swift she could be. Blood began to ooze out of the cut. Quickly Sofia sliced her own hand that was holding Etain's. She dropped the knife and produced a white leather bound book. Books were a rare object to hold as only those who knew how to write and read truly valued them. She squeezed his hand making his blood pump out more as well as her own. The guardsmen began to pull on their Master to free him from the woman's grasp. Before they could successfully pull him away, Sofia rubbed the book over both of their wounds, smearing the blood on the white cover. Sofia released his hand just as the guardsmen who were pulling but not wanting to get too close to the iron fell back. She stumbled back with the book in her hand and almost into the hearth. She quickly regained her balance and began to set the curse. She grabbed hold of her crystal yet again and began to chant with her eyes closed.

Etain regained his balance also and watched Sofia begin to chant.

"What did you do you bitch?!"

The crystal in her hand began to glow and the smears of blood began to spread over the cover of the book turning it red.

The charm was complete. She now opened her eyes and stared at her visitors.

Etain was hunched over favoring his cut hand with the other. His guardsmen surrounded him as well as an open mouthed Galan stood there watching the events.

'This truly is a show of unexpected events', Galan thought to himself. He figured the wench would be easy to handle and be done with and taken away easily. How he so looked forward to the fun of torture. He was bored and rarely got to induldge in the past time.

Then Sofia spoke breaking his train of thought.

"I have bound your blood and my blood in the binding of this book. The one who reads from these pages will set the curse and your blood and my blood will be bound for all time! So savor your 'pure blood' status while you still can!"

"You bitch! I am going to hunt you down and make you pay!" Etain fumed with utter hatered in his face.

Etain's words solidified Sofia's resolve to apparate and continue with her plan. A part of Sofia's heart surfaced with the hurt, she looked at him in his angry eyes, "You know, I loved you once, would have done anything for you, but knew you never loved me the same way! Yet I stayed and pledged myself to you! A weakness in my kind it seems. So now all of my weaknessess are yours!", with that Sofia once again grabbed her amulet and began to chant. The sea winds began to gather in the space. A swarm of moths permiated the area and began to cover Sofia's form.

Etain knew what she was about to do.

"Stop the moths! She's going to get away!"

Etain's guardsmen and even Galan began to swat at the winged creatures and even squash a few.

Alas, to their exerted efforts they could not stop them all as for Sofia was still safe in the iron ring.

The winds swirled faster and stronger and the moths began to spiral up in a funnel and then disperse. The winds calmed and the space that once was inhabitated by Sofia was now empty.

Etain roared with frusteration, "Sofia! I am going to find you!"

A/N: Hi y'all! I appreciate you all that have read my story so far. This is my first attempt to write fanfiction, or any story at that matter on my own and have others view it. I am not a seasoned writer as I am not very good at grammar and the like, so please bear with me! I know the first few chapters are gonna be slow but I will eventually get to the meat and potatoes (Sarah and Jareth). I write when I can, with a busted computer, I think I am getting a new one for xmas, if not one as a gift, hell I am gonna get one myself! Anywho here's my disclaimer: I dont own any actual Labyrinth characters but I like to play with them!

Thanks Freckles


	3. Chapter 3

Choosing The Path Part 1 Chapter 3

She could feel her consciousness floating, as if in a dream, but felt disconnected from her body. It was a distracting feeling. She knew she must concentrate on her destination, or the moth swarm would disperse. She did not know how many leagues she needed to travel to reach the iron mines of the Forest of Dean. The mines were built long ago by the Romans that once inhabited the area. A few years ago she had visited the forest in search of herbs and indigenous items, such as the iron powder. Therefore she knew it was a safe place to hide from any Fae searching for her.

She could not hear, nor could she see, but kept in focus the destination. It seemed that the swarm traveled for ages on the breeze. Just before dawn the tiny winged creatures descended into a forest near a river. They flocked together on the bank of the river, coming together to reassemble the tiny portion of the person that they were compelled to carry with them. Sofia began to feel whole again, the sensation being odd, not painful, yet not pleasant. The strong urge to gasp for air struck her as her lungs began to redevelop. As the little creatures were done, the tiniest forfeited their lives and lay motionless on the bank next to Sofia's gasping form. The stronger moths flitted to nearby trees to sleep the day away.

Sofia felt drained, she could not open her eyes, she wasn't even sure she was where she wanted to be, but the urge to sleep enveloped her. The last thing she heard before darkness overwhelmed her were the sounds of birds, the river gliding by and the sound of leaves being rustled by something.

A young girl burst through the forest growth towards the river bank. 'I am going to be quicker than my brother this morning' she giggled to herself. She knew he wasn't far behind her. She turned her head as she was running to gauge how far away he was. Suddenly her leather clad foot tripped on something and began to fall. Instead of the river bank greeting her harshly she felt the softness of what seemed like what belonged to something living.

"Leah!", she heard her name being called by her brother's voice. She could hear his steps rushing to her aid. Leah pushed herself off of what she had tripped on and stood. There, in front of her were a pair of legs that were partially covered by a dark cloak. She followed the outline of the legs up to the form of an old woman. The woman's graying copper hair and black cloak were littered with tiny dead moths. The boy rushed to his little sister's side. "Are you alright Leah?" Leah did not answer her brother, but continued to stare at the unconscious woman on the ground. The boy followed his sister's visual direction. He knew that something was not right.

"Come on Leah, let's get away from here!"

The little girl looked up at her older sibling with curious eyes, " Henry, is she alright?"

"I don't know, but we need to go!"

"But we cant leave her Henry! What if she's sick?"

Her gray eyes implored her brother. His better judgment was being wavered by his little sister's questioning voice. He knew strangers could be dangerous.

"Let's go find father and mother, they will know what to do! Come on Leah!"

He grabbed his sister's hand pulling her back the way that they had come.

Muffled sounds penetrated the dreamless darkness in Sofia's unconscious state. She began to become aware. She could feel something shaking her body. Someone was talking to her, but she couldn't understand what they were saying, the words were muffled. She wanted to open her eyes, and yet wanted to still sleep. She felt so weak. Thirst hit her throat and constricted it. She then felt something cool and soothing flow into her mouth. Someone was holding her head and had just given her water. The coolness of the water activated her senses. Her eyes opened slowly. The light at first blinded her vision and she tried to focus. She looked into the face of a young man with a light golden brown beard and gray eyes. Atop his head he wore a leather cap that covered his shoulder length hair.

"Old woman, can you hear me?"

"Aye", Sofia muttered.

Remembered that she had limbs. She tried to move them to see if they were still usable. The man seeing that she was struggling to move helped ease her up to a sitting position. She held up her hands and fingers. On close inspection one was missing a fingernail. She remembered seeing Etain and his men squash a few of the moths. It seemed one of the unfortunate moths was carting one of her fingernails.

The young man was watching her curiously.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"It seems that I am." Sofia replied to him as well to herself.

"What were you doing out here?"

"I am a medicine woman looking for herbs, I must have had a dizzy spell and collapsed." She hoped that her hasty story would be a rational enough excuse for her sudden appearance.

"Ah, that explains why you don't have any supplies with you, only a pouch."

Sofia remembered her pouch that held the book and the Longevity Charm items. She looked around for it and found it still attached to her belt.

Sofia breathed a sigh of relief, " Aye, yes thank you..."

" I'm Peter, and this is me family." He motioned towards the young woman and two children who stood a few yards away. Sofia smiled at Peter's family.

"I am So..Suzanne. Thank you for finding me and aiding me." She knew that she was now in hiding and had to assume a new identity.

" May I ask you to assist me in the task of standing up?" Sofia smiled at Peter. She was not sure if she could, she was not sure at what other parts of her body that did not completely combine back together.

The young man slid his arm around the older woman's waist and began to lift her to a standing position. Sofia tested her weight on her feet before she let go of Peter.

"How does it feel?" he asked. Her muscles quivered a little as she tried to move them. The sense of balance regained its hold and she steadied herself.

"I believe I will be alright, thank you for your kindness. Pray tell me, is there a road nearby?"

"Aye, Dean Road runs through the forest, follow the river south and it will take you to the port, that is where you can find the road."

Sofia closed her eyes and sighed in relief, 'Ah, yes, this is where I needed to be.'

Peter frowned in concern, "Are you feeling well?"

Sofia opened her eyes and smiled at him, "Yes, thank you, I am well."

"I know of an inn close to the road, there you can get something to eat. My family and I will show you the way."

"My thanks to you again."

"Think nothing of it, it is our Christian duty." 'Christians!', Sofia thought to herself. How more and more they were populating the countryside.

Peter beckoned his family forward and introduced them to Sofia.

"This is me wife, Rebecca, me son Henry, and our little one, Leah. Thank the Good Lord, she is the one who found you."

The little girl peered up at the older woman, she was the spitting image of her father. "Sorry I fell on you." the child squeaked.

"Think nothing of it wee one. If you hadn't fallen on me then I wouldn't have the joy of meeting your pleasant family!" The little girl grinned revealing a lost tooth in her smile.

They began to follow a path along the river side towards the port. Henry rushed ahead and found a suitable walking stick to aide Sofia. Sofia noted the general kindness in the family's demeanor.

'Was this the Christian way?'Sofia began to ponder to herself. She knew not of the new Religions practices in the belief of one God, and a God that is not seen! As she was growing up, people revered and feared the Fae and their supernatural powers. The Fae would sometimes appear and toy with the humans, usually out of boredom, but also to re-establish the needed connection in the channeling of the energies from the Earth. The early Fae discovered that they gained more power and energy from the humans if they manipulated the elements around them. The human's fear and awe of seeing things uncontemplateable or un-natural, released this energy from their beings. Soon they began to learn how to subjugate humans and manipulate the energy that they absorbed from them. Some humans had the ability to manipulate the elements naturally, Sofia being one herself, and widely became known as Wizards or Witches. Sofia being a Natural Witch, she could perform some magic on her own without aide. But Un-natural Witches were humans who used objects containing magic or special elements to cast magic.

They also were feared and revered for their abilities.

Sofia remembered her premonition from the Samhain celebration. She recalled the humans following a lone individual. Could this be the 'One God' that the humans were following in her vision? Perhaps, she had heard recently that the Christians have erected buildings like temples for worship, much like the Romans did for their 'Gods'. If only that they knew that their 'gods' were really Fae that lived in the South.

Sofia decided to test a theory that was formulating in her brain.

Sofia began to pace herself alongside the children. She glanced at them to gain their attention, and making sure of the parents were in earshot.

"So Henry and Leah, do you often play in these woods?"

The children beamed at her, glad that an adult was paying direct attention to them. The little girl's eyes lit up and began to speak excitedly. "Oh yes, Henry and me, we's play all the time. We like to collect rocks and things. I like to find pretty bird feathers! Henry likes to jump off logs and big rocks..."

Peter smiled and looked at Rebecca and she giggled at Leah's animated speech. Sofia took the opportunity in a break in the child's chatter to casually ask, "When you're out playing do you get to see any of the Wee People?"

Leah cocked her head to the side and looked up at Sofia in question, " What are the Wee People?" The group suddenly stopped and Peter and Rebecca turned around with a serious look directed at Sofia.

"We don't teach our children of such things. They only know of the Good Lord and his son."

The seriousness in Peter's tone mirrored the body language of both he and Rebecca.

"My apologies, I didn't know."

"We would be grateful if you didn't speak of such things, they are blasphemous. We wish not to confuse our children with the 'Old Ways'."

Sofia nodded her silent consent of the dismissal of the subject matter.

They returned to the previous task of traveling down the path. The mood was somber and serious, and everyone seemed to withdraw into their own thoughts. Sofia's theory was correct. They didn't want their children to know anything of the Fae. She felt that her vision was becoming true. The days of the Fae were numbered.

The path soon opened up to a populated area of people and buildings. Sofia followed the family to a thatched roof two story building. Peter approached Sofia, "This is the inn that I was talking about, me and me family are going to leave you here. Here you can get a meal. The road is over yonder." He pointed to a roadway between two buildings. "May the Lord bless you!" With that he turned and directed his family away from the woman. Little Leah turned her head and waved goodbye, "Bye Suzanne", she whispered. Sofia smiled a thin smile back.


	4. Chapter 4

Choosing The Path Part 1 Ch. 4

A/N: Thanks y'all for reading and your patience for the progression of this story. Also thanks for the constructive criticism. I took advice and accepted the offer of a beta, in which I am grateful to! (She helped me with ch.3) I am not a seasoned writer. I haven't written anything in years (mostly for school). Anyways writing fiction is fun because it is fiction! It can be anything I want it to be! So thanks for letting me share my imagination with you!

On another note, and one that has been brought to my attention is the actual gender to the name Etain. I didn't know it was a Chicks name, I went on a web site of Celtic names and thought it was a Dudes name! It wasn't being very gender specific if I recall, heck I don't remember what web site it was. So for my laziness I am sticking with Etain as a dude, so sorry if it sticks in your crawl that it is a gender bender name.

Ok so we're done with Sofia for the time being...she'll poke her head up later!

Now we are onto Etain and what that prick is up to!

Chapter 4

Waiting was not one of his strong suits. He was waiting in a clearing in the forest. The feeling of tension rose up and settled on his shoulders. Etain gave a heavy sigh to try and relieve the sensation. The early spring air still held a chill and his breath puffed into a little cloud. He followed the breathy air with his eyes up into the budding branches of the trees. Trying to distract his mind by staring at the criss cross patterns of the tree tops into the afternoon sky. It didn't work. It had thoughts of curiosity and ominous concerns crashing into each other. 'Why are they here? Why have they called for me? What's going on?'

The Grand Counsel had been summoned in the Northern Region, and they have also summoned Etain to stand before them. Very seldom had the Grand Counsel convened in the past. Etain could only remember a couple of times in his life that they have come together. It was never over something frivolous. He began to pace a circle in the clearing when an Elvin woman appeared. "The Grand Counsel will see you now Lord Etain."

She guided him towards a corridor made of trees. Their branches arched above allowing some light in to illuminate the path. There were not any birds in the trees, nor a breeze to whistle through the branches, only the sound of their footsteps. The silence fed into Etain's anxiety. He had an ominous feeling rising within himself. His thoughts were beginning to collide with each other when he noticesd that they had entered another clearing.

It was surrounded by trilithons and in the center stood a stone dais which faced a long curved dais in which the Grand Counsel was seated. Etain's heart began to race as the Elvin woman guided him towards the dais in the center of the area. Knowing he needed to compose himself, straightened up and faced the impartial looking Fae before him. There were seven of them - one representing the different regions in which they were from. He could tell by their coloring and attire of a few of the members, that they had come from the South and the East. He recognized Lady Mae in the center. Lady Mae was the current appointed functionary of the Grand Counsel for the Northern Region. Her unbiased office was necessary to help deliberate for the betterment of all Fae. The Seelie and the Unseelie Courts often needed impartial meditations to sort out differences among the two factions.

The Faery woman's light blue eyes, that flickered with intelligence scrutinized Lord Etain's demeanor.

"Lord Etain, do you know why you are summoned here before the Grand Counsel?"

"No, Lady Mae, I do not."

"It has been brought to The Counsels attention of a situation involving a human in your retinue."

"Ah, yes, my lady, I recently had one as a bondwoman to my house."

"Had, Lord Etain?"

"Yes, I absolved her from her bond."

"For what reason, pray tell?"

"Well for embarrassing me and telling lies at the last Samhain celebration."

"Did she now? What lies did she say? Tell us what happened that night."

Etain shifted on his feet, he felt like a child who was caught being naughty and was trying to explain himself before his parents. He felt all of the eyes of the other counsel members gauge him. He wasn't sure he liked how this summons was going.

"Well, the human in my company, is not just an ordinary one, she was a Natural Witch, and could foretell the future. I happened upon her as a child and she has grown up knowing the Fae. I convinced her to cast the future for the next year, as is tradition, but she told falsely against the Fae. I sought to detain her to recompense for her lies. She evaded me."

"Enlighten us as to what she said." Etain was getting a sense that they knew what he was going to tell them. That they were wanting to hear his account on the situation.

"She said that the Humans would stop believing in the Fae and that the Fae would waste away. It infuriated me, that she would say such things in front of everyone at the celebration. Embarrassed that a human in my league would falsify against me and all Fae."

He looked around to all of the faces of the counsel to get a sense of reaction to the information. No reaction was given.

"Lord Etain," Lady Mae began, "we know from several accounts of what went on that night. Your human was not wrong in her visions. The Humans have become to not believe in the Fae. They have begun to believe in one God and have begun to forsake us. Belief in us is blasphemous and goes against their New God and his teachings. Sometimes even considered evil and they fear us and try to not acknowledge us. Regions all around are being affected. There have not been any new births in the areas in which the New God has taken hold, especially in the South. Our kind is in danger. We have convened together to find a solution and preserve the Fae. We would like to be able to talk to your human and see what she knows, but it seems she is lost to us."

Etain, felt a little shame.

"I have been searching for her, but she has eluded me and my men, she's smarter than most humans."

"Lord Etain, don't underestimate the human race, they have great potential for vast things. Unfortunately we need them to survive, and keeping them ignorant to our dependence was not going to last forever. So before all Fae become too weak, The Grand Counsel and I have agreed that the Fae should go underground."

"Underground My Lady?"

"Yes Lord Etain, we are going to hide away all the Fae into the Earth to preserve our kind in our own domain. To maintain this domain we will still need humans to purify the Earth's energy, so in order to do so we plan to raise our own band of humans to believe in us, away from the world above and human influences."

Etain was trying to contemplate the information he just received A separate domain for all of the Fae? Mixed emotions welled up inside him. Anger dominated and coursed through his mind.

"Why should we go underground? We are stronger than they are! More powerful! We should force them to recognize us and fear us!", he burst out.

"Lord Etain, control yourself, please. We considered that but the humans have grown great in numbers that have surpassed our own. Eventually they would over run us. It's better to know where we stand and preserve our kind than gamble away our potential demise. This is for the greater good for all Fae."Etain could not believe what he was hearing.

"The magic required to make this happen will be permanent magic. The Fae will only be able to enter the above through gates in the domain. One gate in particular if for humans to enter. We have devised that a labyrinth be erected to discourage unwanted humans from entering the domain. This will require a gate keeper. We have chosen you to be the one."

"Me?"

"Yes, Lord Etain, we think it would be most fitting for you."

"Most fitting?"

"Yes, we have also have come into knowledge that you no longer possess pure Fae blood. That human of yours mixed your bloods together. The changes are beginning to develop now as we speak, are they not?

Anger welled up in him again. Only Galan knew of what Sofia had done to him. That rat told someone! He knew his countenance had dulled some and something was happening to one of his eyes. The pupil had begun to increasingly dilate. People at court had begun to distance themselves from him,had not gone unnoticed. Rumors also had begun to spread about him.

"Your status in court is beginning to diminish. You would be lucky to find a bride. As the gate keeper we could give you your own kingdom and control over some lands, that should help your status. Perhaps some low born Fae would be interested in marrying you. It would be fortuitous for both parts if you agree to this arrangement."

Etain looked at the ground, absorbing all of what she had said. His life had not been the same since that night. 'Damn Witch polluted my blood!', he fumed to himself. Sofia had ruined his plans to woo and marry into a fine family and preserve the family line. If he agreed to the terms, he would make sure that no human would get past in the labyrinth.

He looked up and stared Lady Mae in the eyes, "I agree."

A/N: Well apologies for taking forever to update, it didn't all come together until just a few days ago. I was kicking around ideas and thoughts for a while, and then got distracted. It all came to me as I was driving home from work, funny how that works out. Then I get sick, so right now I am typing and sneezing and coughing. Well now we are ready to move onto Sarah (I bet your thinking "It's about freaking time woman!", lol.) Thanks to my beta, your helping me become a better writer!

P.S. If you review, please, exercise positive reinforcements, and positive constructive criticism. A kind word is easier to receive and considered than a negative comment to be offended by and discarded.


	5. Chapter 5

Choosing The Path Part 1 Ch. 5

The little girl snuggled into her mother's arms on the hospital bed. Sounds of machines blended into the background as the little girl's imagination filled with images from the sound of her mother's voice. Cinderella had just met her Fairy Godmother when her mother's voice had stopped.

"Mommy?", Sarah looked up to her mother. Linda Williams'

sickly pallor looked a shade paler.

"Sarah, baby, Mommy is tired, I don't think I can finish reading."

The child's large green eyes peered up at her mother.

"That's okay, I can finish reading to us, and when we are done I can read us another, how about Alice In Wonderland? I think we are on chapter six."

"That's fine Baby," Linda's tired and weak voice replied.

'What a beautiful child that I have...' Linda thought as she began to listen to the child's little voice. Sadness crept into her heart, sad that she would not see her child grow up into the beautiful woman that she knew she would be. To see her triumphs and to help her through her tribulations. She was past the angry stage, now she was just sad and defeated. Fighting the cancer that the doctors couldn't eradicate left her not only physically fatigued but also emotionally drained. Her husband, John, had exhausted all of their resources and still tried to convince the doctors to try every option available. Smiling to herself, he could be a little stubborn at times. Sarah was just like him in that way. Always insisting on reading another fairy tale at bed time.

"...And they lived happily ever after. The End." Sarah looked up at her mother, Linda smiled and placed a kiss upon the child's chestnut hair.

"Thank you baby." Sarah smiled and got up from the hospital bed and went to her backpack to fish out Alice In Wonderland.

"Are you ready for Alice?"

Just as Linda was about to reply, John walked into the hospital room with a nurse and Linda's doctor.

"Sarah, Honey, why don't you go get a hot chocolate with the nurse and let Mommy rest."

"But we were gonna read Alice In Wonderland!"

He bent down to her level and looked into the familiar eyes that the child inherited from her mother.

"Let mommy sleep, go get a hot chocolate." He glanced up at the woman up in the hospital bed. Her eyes were closed. "See she's already asleep, it's okay, I will be with her." John placed a prickly kiss on his Daughter's round cheek. Her little hand immediately went to the spot. "Daddy, you need to shave!"

A light chuckle and sad smile came to his lips. "I will Honey once we get home. I tell you what, if Mommy is awake when you come back then you can finish reading Alice in Wonderland. Now go with the nice nurse." He patted her backside in the direction of the familiar nurse. The uniformed woman stretched out her hand to guide the child away. Sarah obediently took her hand and took one more last look into the hospital room where John was standing next to the grave faced doctor.

"Mr. Williams, I'm sorry, but there is nothing more that we can do. She is too weak and frail. The chemo was our best hope. Right now all we can do is to make her comfortable..." the doctor sounded sympathetic. John gave a heavy sigh and ran his hands through his hair. Tears welled up in his eyes and he began to sob.

"John," a weak voice came from the bed.

In a moment's notice, the man rushed to his wife's bedside.

"Oh, Linda," he breathed. He picked up her hand and held it to his lips. "Don't cry," she whispered. The demand only made him shake and begin to sob again. "I heard what he said. It's okay, I'm ready..."

"No..."

"Shhh...I know you will be a good father to Sarah. I don't want her to be without a mother. Promise me you will love again and find a good mother for our daughter."

"I can't..."

"Promise me!"

Sobs continued to shake his body.

"I promise."

"I love you, and our little Sarah, it's not right to keep this up, you must let me go! You must move on!" A weak squeeze came from her hand accompanied with a light smile.

The sounds of little feet tapping on the hard linoleum of the hospital floor came down the hall. Sarah came running back into the hospital room.

"Daddy, I don't want Hot Chocolate, I want to stay here with Mommy!"

A minute later the puffing nurse entered behind the child.

"Sorry, she ran away from me..."

John raised his hand in assurance, "It's okay, thank you!"

"Mommy's awake! We can read Alice now!"

"Sarah, I don't think..."

"That's not fair! You said I could if Mommy was awake!", she shouted.

"It's okay, John, she can read to me again." Linda weakly assured him.

The doctor and the nurse realized it was their cue to leave the family in peace and left the room. Sarah again cuddled up onto the hospital bed in her mother's arms.

"Sarah, Mommy loves you so much, " and kissed her child's temple."Promise me you will be a good girl for Daddy"

"Okay, I will."

Sarah began to read. She came across the word "croquet", and tried sounding it out, but it didn't sound right. She looked up to ask her Mother for the right pronunciation. The woman's eyes were closed.

"Mommy?"


	6. Chapter 6

Choosing The Path Part 1 Ch. 6

Her mouth was dry and hot from the excessive amount of panting. Another wave of pain racked her body as another contraction coursed through her. Each contraction left her weaker than the one before. She didn't know how long she could endure the pain and the pressure. Sleep was a welcoming thought to her. If only she could go to sleep right now, she was so tired. The lulls between the contractions were coming shorter and pain constantly seized her. A voice penetrated her dazed mind.

"Lorna, Lorna, now it's time to push. You must push, the babe is almost here!" Lorna recognized the midwife's voice. She didn't want to push, she was so tired and pushing would cause more pain. Another contraction waved over her. Cries that escaped from her could be heard out in the hall. Etain hearing her cries guzzled another half goblet of Goblin Ale. He couldn't taste the heady brew any more as he was pacing the corridor outside the birthing room.

He was worried for his wife and his child. Lorna already had a delicate constitution when he married her. She was thin and willowy and soft spoken, an opposite to his loud and robust nature. An air of calmness came from her and her gentleness soothed his arrogant soul. Bafflement still struck him when he recalled her agreement to begin courtship. She always looked at him in his eyes and never looked away. The lowborn Faery woman didn't judge him and rebuke him on his current status like many of the other Faery women did, lowborn or otherwise. Lorna understood what it was like to be shunned in court and learned early to not let it overwhelm her. That was her strength and he loved her for it.

Another cry of pain from beyond the door brought Etain's thoughts round about. The door opened and a Dwarven woman came out. Etain immediately knelt to the little woman's stature, grabbing her shoulders, "Well?"

Her bulging blue eyes looked straight into his, "She's weak, yous mighta wanna gets a healer up here right away, Sire." Panic rose to Etain's throat, "Mog! MOG!", he began to shout. A somewhat tall, for a Goblin, appeared beside them. "Yes sire!?" a gravelly voice replied. "Send for the Healer, and hurry!"

Lorna's suffering reverberated again into the hall. "Sire, I has best be getting back to M'Lady." the Dwarven woman pointed out.

Etain coming back to himself, released the half pint creature's shoulders, "Ah, yes, thank you, go back and assist the midwife." The little woman gave a nod and a little curtsey to her Lord and returned to the birthing room.

Lorna's blond hair stuck to her sweaty skin. Weakness overcame her, spots danced before her vision, and felt her consciousness slip into darkness. Her body went lax. The Elvin midwife shook Lorna's shoulder, "Lorna! LORNA!" No response came from the limp woman in the bed. The midwife put her ear to her mouth to listen for any breath, none came! Panic over whelmed her usual steadfast concentration, " Dola! She has stopped breathing! We'll have to cut the baby out!" The little Dwarven woman blanched. She never had to cut into a person before.

"I.. I.. don't..."

"We have to or the babe will die!"

Just as the little woman overcame her sense of panic and fear the healer came into the room. He was another Elvin man, he was older and his long gray hair was tucked behind his pointed ears.

"Thank the Gods you're here!" The midwife stated in a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong?" The man asked observing the situation.

"Mistress has stopped breathing, but we need to act quickly and cut the babe out, it still has a chance!"

The Elvin man went to Lorna's side and placed his ear on her torso to listen for a heartbeat, it was weak and barely audible.

"She's not dead, yet! I will try to get her breathing. Continue to retrieve the babe!"

He focused all of his energy and tried to gather up the air in the room. He arced both arms into the air and pushed the invisible gas into Lorna's nose and mouth. Her chest rose with each arc of his arms. His keen ears could hear her heart beat begin to beat faster, he was hoping that she would regain consciousness. Meanwhile the midwife prepared for the baby's extraction from its mother. She bolstered up her courage and overcame her hesitance of what she needed to do. With the knife she intended to use to cut the umbilical cord, she made a careful precise cut into the pregnant woman's abdomen.

Moments later, out in the hall, Etain heard the squall of the first breaths of life. Relief and excitement bubbled up inside him. "Thank the Gods!" he whispered. His curiosity to the gender of the child was making him antsy. He hoped for a son, as a man hopes to have, but a daughter would be just as acceptable. The door to the birthing room opened and the Dwarven woman appeared into the hallway carrying a bundle in her arms. "Yous have a son M'Lord!"

Etain's breath caught in his throat. Joy and tenderness covered his face as he retrieved the swaddled pink creature from the little woman's arms. The baby made little mewling noises until it began to squall again. Etain began to look over the child's features, he had little blond fuzz on top of his head and Etain noted that he had the same upturned brows as himself, but the child remarkably favored his mother. Perhaps he will have my spirit, Etain mused to himself. He moved closer to a sconce mounted on the wall to better study his son's features. Etain began to shush the little one and the child seemed to quiet down. The babe's eyes were open and Etain noticed that he still had another one of Lorna's traits, her eye color.

Then on closer inspection one of the pupils didn't dilate. Etain could feel the color drain from his face. "No!" He cursed under his breath. "Not my son too!" The baby sensing the calmness gone and agitation replace it began to cry again.

Behind him Dola, was wringing her hands and was not sure how to tell her Lord the condition of Lady Lorna.

"M..M..M'Lord?"

Etain turned around quickly as if annoyed, "Yes Dola? What is it?"

"It's...It's the Mistress..."

The Dwarf's visage showed Etain that something was wrong.

Panic overshadowed the annoyance and fear gripped his insides.

"What's wrong?" Dola continued to wring her nervous hands and stared at the floor. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY WIFE?" Etain roared. Dola jumped at the loudness of the man's voice.

"Th..th...the Mistress stopped breathing before she birthed the baby. We's had ta cut him out her belly, or he would hadda died. But the healer he came in time, he gots her breathing again but she bleed a lot, and the healers working on her still right now."

The door to the birthing room opened and the healer's grim face looked directly into Etain. "Is...is...she gone?" Etain weakly asked.

"Not yet, but she is waning. I was able to awaken her and she has asked to see you and the babe." Now it was dread's turn to occupy Etain's form. Still holding the baby in his arms he moved into the room.

Lorna's pale figure lay on the narrow birthing bed. She had drifted off again and her eyes were closed. Her blond hair was askew and still clung to her skin where she once sweated and then dried. The mewling cries of the baby filled the somber room. Lorna stirred at the sounds. Etain knelt down to his knees at the bedside. "Lorna?" he gently called her name. "Lorna?"

Cognition began to fill Lorna's brain. She still felt so tired, all she wanted to do was go back to sleep, but knew she needed to be awake for something...something important. She heard her name being called again and again. Lorna opened her eyes and tried to focus on the sound of the voice that was calling her name. It was Etain,' oh Etain, I love how you say my name...' Her eyes still felt heavy and tried to focus. Makeshift shapes filled her blurred vision.

"Lorna?" she heard one more time.

"Etain?" a weak whisper came from her dry lips.

"Lorna! We have a son!"

A son? Oh yes, she was going to have a baby! The baby!

Like a shaft of light piercing though dark clouds, Lorna's mind awoke.

"My baby, where's my baby?" She weakly begged.

Etain raised up the little baby in his arms and placed it on Lorna's chest. Lorna's wanted to hold him but her arms felt like they were weighed down with lead and couldn't raise them. Etain sensed that she couldn't move her arms and positioned them to cradle their son.

"We have a boy, a beautiful boy. He looks like you!", Etain softly spoke.

Lorna lightly chuckled with a slight smile, "I always knew you wanted a boy. I don't know how but I knew we were having a boy."

Etain nervously chuckled along with her. Her pallor was increasing.

"What would you like to call him?"

"Jareth. After my grandfather...", her voice trailed off as her eyes closed.

Panic ensued Etain, "Lorna?", he stood up and began to shake her shoulders, "LORNA? LORNA?!" His constant shaking of her shoulders jostled the babe and he began to cry. The midwife retrieved the child from his first and last time in his mother's arms.

The Elven healer, settled his hands on Etain's shoulders, "She's gone sire!"

"NO NO NO!" Etain shouted and shook off the healer's hands. He sank down sobbing into his wife's lifeless form.

A/N: Ok so I know I just totally Disney'd this! I killed off the parents! And thinking about it I should have written this chapter out before the previous chapter. It probably would chronologically make more sense but alas sometimes things happen in an organic way! I hope you enjoy and thanks for being patient with me as I am still learning how to write on my own, and also my beta. (Your advice is really handy!) Thanks for the kind encouragement that helps me want to be better. Thank you!

Also Happy Birthday to my dad and myself. We have the same birthday. He noticed that I have begun writing, something he hasn't seen me do before and went out and bought me a book on fiction writing. I thought that was very thoughtful, so perhaps on the next story which I am already hatching in my mind will be better put together! Hugs and happy reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Choosing The Path Part 1 Ch. 7

A/N: Here we'll be switching it up with Sarah and then Jareth I hope you enjoy.

"Please Daddy, can I?" Sarah asked her father with the hopeful wide eyed look that children give their parents. She wanted one last souvenir before they left the Renaissance Fair and she had her eye on a particular vendor's display of glass blown fairy charms. They sparkled in the sunlight and caught her eye as they walked by earlier that day. "Sarah, it's closing time, everyone's leaving."

"Please, please, please Daddy?" she bobbed in her spot looking earnest.

"Don't we have enough things already from this year's fair?" He was holding an array of different objects in his arms already. "I promise I will be quick, and I'll use my own money!" she begged. Robert Williams' heart twisted a little as his daughter looked at him with those wide green eyes. How could he say no? He hadn't been able to say no for three years now, not since Linda's passing. He did anything and everything for Sarah now. He didn't want her to hurt, to feel the loss of not having her mother there. He gave in to her wants and spoiled her. The desire to protect and make your child want for naught resonated in him. Robert knew that she had become withdrawn from other children at school, and didn't fit in. Sarah's teachers would call and try to counsel him on her behavior. So Robert tried to do all that he himself could do for his child. They became inseparable and often attended plays, amusement parks, fairs and festivals. They were as "Thick as thieves" as Sarah's mother would say.

"Oh, alright, but hurry, I will wait right here and I want you back here in 10 minutes."

Sarah's face lit with triumphant joy, "Oh thank you Daddy!"and sprinted off in the direction of the vendor she had seen earlier.

The different booths, tents and displays were all being broken down by all of the vendors and hawkers already. Sarah ran to the spot where she saw the crystal fairy booth. It was already gone. Disappointment welled up inside her and she folded her arms and stomped the ground with her foot and pouted saying out loud, "It's not fair!"

"What's not fair child?" Sarah heard a feminine voice from behind her.

Sarah whirled around and faced a middle aged woman with copper colored hair. Sarah was unsure about talking to strangers, but didn't want to show bad manners when an adult spoke to her. She looked down, "Oh, uh, I was looking for a booth that had glass fairies, have you seen it?"

"I'm sorry child, they packed up almost an hour ago, perhaps to beat the traffic." The woman replied with a slight accent. Sarah's face was crestfallen._ She would never get to have a fairy in her room now!_

The woman seeing the girl's disappointment offered up a solution, "Maybe I have something in my tent that might interest you? I have only just begun to dismantle and put things away, come take a look!"

The woman placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder to guide her into the tent. Immediately the woman's breath caught in a hitch at the physical contact and removed her hand as if she were shocked. The girl didn't seem to notice the woman's reaction, she was more interested in what was in the tent.

The woman eagerly ran ahead and guided her to enter the fabric confines of souvenirs. Trinkets on black cords hung from the top and crystal orbs on different ornate stands littered one table. Posters and lithographs were stacked alongside another table. Sarah in particular wanted a new poster for her wall, she thumbed through the assortment and spied a particularly interesting poster. It had stairways and doorways leading to different places, upside down and sideways. It already played with Sarah's imagination. Satisfied with her choice, Sarah turned to the copper haired woman. The woman was watching her and was holding something in her hand that was also around her neck.

"I will take this please."

"Over here child to the cash box." The woman directed her.

At the table in the back of the tent Sarah lifted up the poster towards the woman. Grabbing the poster from the girl, the paper edges sliced into the tender skin of Sarah's hand. "Ow!" Sarah yelped, and immediately placed her cut finger in her mouth. The woman forcefully yanked the girl's hand away.

"No you mustn't. A cut like that needs to bleed, to get the germs out!"and squeezed the finger so a little bead of blood came to the surface.

"That will be two dollars my dear."

"Oh, yes, sorry", Sarah's attention came back to the goal of getting a souvenir before the fair ended.

She produced two crumpled up dollars from her pocket.

The woman rolled up the poster and secured it with a rubber band and handed it to Sarah.

"I also have a gift for you, I was hoping to sell it this year but I think it would be easier to give it away." The copper haired woman produced a small red bound leather book Sarah's eyes lit with delight, she loved books, especially fairy tales. As Sarah was receiving the book the woman grasped both of Sarah's hands and squeezed them into the binding of the book.

Looking directly into the girl's green eyes, "This is a special book, it's yours now, take care of it!" A strange sensation crept into Sarah's hands and up her arms. It frightened her and she pulled away from the woman's grasp and ran out of the tent. She ran as fast as she could among the crowd to where her father was waiting.

Sofia smiled to herself. A big wave of relief lifted from her shoulders. She no longer carried the burden of being bonded to Etain anymore. She knew that he had passed away a few hundred years before and her anger and vengeance towards him had dissolved. Although Etain was gone, she was still bound to his blood line, his son._ The poor lad didn't deserve the repercussions of his fore bearers disputes. _ At the time when she created the bond she knew little of the consequences. Her blood would forever always be bound to his blood. She could not die as the bonder. She needed to find someone to take her place, someone who would be oblivious to the bond. She looked for years and had come to realize she needed to find someone from her own bloodline, since she had no children it had to be someone from her clan. Sofia's clan was very small and often married into the other clans in the surrounding areas. Finding a direct descendant was a challenge in itself. As funny as it seemed to be, just when she wasn't looking, what she needed made itself known to her. She was surprised to feel the spark of energy coming from the girl. The child was oblivious to the sensation, which means she wasn't in tune to the energies that flowed between the Earth and humans. She was a suitable match and Sofia knew it. All she needed was a droplet of her blood, and the Fates let it happen. How fortuitous it all seemed. Her unnatural longevity had long since lost it's luster. Her soul was tired of it's Earthly confines and yearned for rest. Now Sofia could resume her natural life, grow old again and die. She thanked the Fates and the retreating back of the little girl disappearing into the crowd, _may she have a long and happy life_, Sofia wished.

"Sarah! I was about to come looking for you. Did you find what you were looking for?"

Sarah grasped her father's arm, " Can we go now?"

Robert taken aback by the change in Sarah's earlier mood, "Are you okay?"

"I just wanna go home now, okay?"

Robert sensed that something was off, perhaps she is just tired, they did have a very full day and still had to fight traffic and drive another hour home. "Sure thing Princess. "

They began to follow suit with the crowd and head towards the parking lot.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No, they were already gone but I went to another booth and got this neat poster and a lady gave me a book for free."

"Well that was nice of her."

"Yeah but she was weird."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah she talked funny."

Robert chuckled to himself amused at his daughter's observations.

They finally arrived at the wood panel station wagon and got in. The last valiant rays of the sun was beaming through the treess. Sarah nestled in her seat and stared out of the window of the straggling fair goers and other cars vying for access to the main road. Robert looked over at his silent child and noticed that she had drifted off to sleep.

An hour later they pulled into the drive of their one story patio home. It was a very typical subdivision style home. The same house that he and his wife bought when they were expecting Sarah. It was the only home Sarah knew. Memories always came to him when he looked at the house. Some sweet and full of hope and some hard to deal with. The memories of the tough times were the hardest to ignore. Linda was an up and coming stage actress and was about to cross over to the silver screen. Fame and notoriety were a double edge sword and she did not know how to wield it and her family life. Linda was beautiful and attracted attention of many. The attraction of one fellow actor would not subside and began to seduce her. The affair almost ended their marriage. Robert and Linda were mending their relationship when Linda was diagnosed with cancer. For a year and a half she struggled to overcome the illness but finally succumbed as it spread to the different systems of her body.

Robert often sat in the station wagon in silence staring at the color of the siding of the house, a muted yellow that Linda had picked. On occasion, when he was alone a few tears would escape as the memories greeted him like the house did. Today he felt a little somber as he stared at the building in the light of the station wagons head lights. . He was getting tired of feeling so empty. A void was there inside him, one that Linda filled, and now she was gone. _Perhaps it was time to move on?_ _A change could be good. _ _Sarah needed more than what he could give her. _ _Maybe it was time to start looking for a companion or maybe even a mother for his daughter._ He looked down at the girl. Sarah was still in a deep sleep as he carried her into the house and put her to bed.

He returned to the station wagon and retrieved their festival booty. Most of it was Sarah's of course. He had won her a stuffed bear at a game booth and she loved it instantly and began to call it Lancelot. A flimsy little crown, a rolled up poster and a small red leather bound book. He unfurled the poster, curious as to what his daughter's tastes were. _How interesting, _ he thought as he studied it. He recognized it immediately as M.C. Escher's Relativity. He smiled to himself, his Sarah was such a quirky child, instead of picking a poster of kittens or puppies she chooses something abstract. He rolled it back up and picked up the little red book. It had the words Labyrinth printed on the cover but not the spine, and there was no author printed either. He thumbed through the pages and recognized it as a play. _This_ _may_ _be a little advanced for her right now, I'll just put it with the other books for the time being_, he thought to himself. He walked over to the shelf at his eye level and slid the little volume in with the other books and it blended right in.


	8. Chapter 8

Hello my dear readers and friends. I know it's been a few months but we just got our computer up and running after searching for a hard to find part to fit it after it was fried after a power surge. But in the meantime I have been hatching new plots and have been considering to rewrite\re-edit my previous chapters. So please bear with me! Also thank you to who have favored my story and your patience.

Thanks

FFM


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